Box Office: Pirates, Having No Challengers, Steals All The Booty
Monday, May 23, 2011 at 9:39AM 
No new movies dared challenge the fourth adventure of Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow so it easily outpaced older films and took home most of the gold. But given that the series has been an overperformer and that even cheating with those stupidly inflated 3D ticket prices, it was well underneath the grosses of the second and third outings. In even better news, Bridesmaids avoided the typical 50% second week drop, just as we predicted dipping less than 20%. That signals a long and lucrative run, powered by word of mouth, provided it can hold on to screens. That's always the trick in the summer.
The Box Office (Actuals)
01 PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES new $90.1 [review]
02 BRIDESMAIDS $20.8 (cumulative $59.3)
03 THOR $15.4 (cumulative $145.3) [review]
04 FAST FIVE $10.5 (cumulative $186.1)
05 PRIEST $4.7 (cumulative $23.8)
06 RIO $4.6 (cumulative $131.6)
07 JUMPING THE BROOM $3.7 (cumulative $31.3)
08 SOMETHING BORROWED $3.5 (cumulative $31.5)
09 WATER FOR ELEPHANTS $2.1 (cumulative $52.4) [review]
10 TYLER PERRY MADEA'S BIG HAPPY FAMILY $.9 (cumulative $51.7)
What About Woody?
Despite being on only 6 screens, Woody Allen's MIDNIGHT IN PARIS took in a huge half a million. It would have easily hit the top ten had it opened wider. Half a million on half a dozen screens is a big deal for a Woody Allen film opening that small, his best ever actually, even topping the relatively robust tiny opening for Match Point (2005). Was it Rachel McAdams and Owen Wilson? Was it the warm Cannes buzz? We've long believed that if more films opened while the media was talking about them it might help generate audience interest. But year after year auteur films lose all the momentum of their festival bows while they wait it out for six months-two years-never for a theatrical window.
What did you see this weekend? My weekend was an absurd bust. [Pity Party Alert!] I went to a birthday party out of town an entire day early and then, depressed at my costly flub, I went to the movies and was somehow two dollars short for a ticket and had forgotten my bank card. I sincerely hope your weekend was not as pathetic.
Bridesmaids, Midnight in Paris, Pirates, Woody Allen, box office
Reader Comments (10)
i saw pirates.
i think i would have enjoyed it a lot more had i not had to endure it in 3d!
can Hollywood get over 3d already? I'd rather not see afilm in 3d
elsewhere went out on Friday night to celebrate Cher turning 65 yes as a diehard it was my duty to do that hahahahahah .
boo on being two dollars short.
can't wait for Bridesmaids to open here in the UK :)
Hangover II this weekend. sorry i'm ridiculously excited for wolfpack two
I saw BRIDESMAIDS, anyone else notice this is Wilson Philllips' 2nd time being spotlighted in a film since HAROLD & KUMAR GO TO WHITE CASTLE? lol
Saw BRIDESMAIDS and while I quite liked it, I guess I expected more in light of the great word-of-mouth it's been having. Was going to catch THOR as well, but got lazy and that's all she wrote.
I'lll definitely try to see MIDNIGHT IN PARIS next weekend. Already put a few friends on notice.
I'm amazed that the re-release of the great Linus Roache flick "Priest" has done so well! :)
Went straight up Top Ten this weekend. Saw "Bridesmaids" on Friday and liked it more than I thought I would but I can't help seeing it as SNL's take on the sublime "Walking and Talking." And I don't mean that in a good way.
Yesterday I saw Thor and, while I think if you can make it past the first 20 minutes it's not as bad as you think, it just didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.
My favorite movie of the weekend was "Scott Pilgrim vs the World" which I finally finally saw on Saturday eve. Loved it so much. Maybe watching a by-the-numbers superhero movie the next day wasn't such a good idea?
Owen -- lol. in a perfect wolrd, it WOULD get a rerelease that went top ten ;)
I saw an amazing local stage production of Andrew Lippa's "The Wild Party." Does that count?
lol Owen. I saw that movie for the first time last year and loved it :) I wish they would re-release Priest (1994) in theatres. I watched Bridesmaids on Wednesday and really liked it, and I also re-watched Meet The Parents. I wish the nearest theatre to where I live would show Midnight In Paris, but it's too small. It only shows Hollywood blockbusters.
I saw nothing in theaters this weekend. I'm fasting in preparation for Tree of Life this Friday.
Watched Bloodworth through Amazon Instant Video. Pretty memorable Southern film with notable supporting performances by W. Earl Brown, and Hilary Duff (wha?!).